Michigan Commission for the Blind to Present Annual Awards at Board Meeting December 11 in East Lansing

Contact: Susan Turney 517-241-8631

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

December 2, 2009 − The Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) will present its annual Honor Roll Awards at the MCB Commission Board meeting on Friday, December 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in the Lincoln Room of the Kellogg Center, Michigan State University, 55 South Harrison Road, in East Lansing. The meeting is open to the public, and the awards will be presented at approximately 10:45 a.m.

The Honor Roll Awards are presented annually to MCB clients who are exemplary in achieving their goals for employment and/or independent living after vision loss, employers who have shown leadership in hiring people who are blind or visually impaired based on their abilities, and community partners recognized for their collaboration with MCB in increasing opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired to achieve independence and/or employment. This year's award recipients include MCB clients in Detroit, DeWitt, Grosse Pointe Woods, Gwinn, Jackson, and Standish; employers in Petoskey and Marinette, Wisconsin; and community partners in Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Livonia. Names, photos, and additional information about the award recipients will be sent to media in a news release expected to go out December 14.

Also on the agenda, in the morning the Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (SBPH) will be welcomed at the first commission board meeting since it became a part of the Michigan Commission for the Blind on October 1. In the afternoon, Brunhilde Adams will provide information on advocating for accessibility for blind college students.

To listen to the commission meeting over the telephone, please dial 1-916-233-0780 or toll-free 1-888-296-6828, passcode 847670#. (Both telephone numbers require the passcode.) In addition, live audio streaming of the meeting will be available to the public on the MCB website at www.michigan.gov/mcb. The meeting site is accessible. Individuals attending the meeting are requested to refrain from using heavily scented personal care products in order to enhance accessibility for everyone. People with disabilities requiring additional accommodations (such as materials in alternative format) in order to participate in the meeting should call Sue Luzenski at (517) 335-4265 by December 7.

The commission's five-member policy board, appointed by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, oversees MCB programs throughout Michigan. For more than 30 years, MCB has provided training and other services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to achieve independence and/or employment in the careers of their choice, annually serving nearly 4,000 state residents. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/mcbor call toll-free: voice 1-800-292-4200; TTY 1-888-864-1212.

The Michigan Commission for the Blind is part of the Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG), which is investing in Michigan's future by preparing for the new energy economy, helping to create the jobs of today and tomorrow, ensuring that our children and adults have the skills these jobs demand, making Michigan a better place to do business, and training and placing those who need jobs now.

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